Reinforcing steel couplers or connectors are known for attaching the abutting ends of rebar sections together. Such connectors are commonly utilized to interconnect adjoining structural members such as girders and columns in the building construction process.
For example, to attach a horizontal girder to a vertical column, the girder is positioned as desired proximate the column such that first rebar members extending from the girder are almost in abutting relationship with complimentary second rebar members extending from the column. A small gap is present at this time between the first and second rebar members. First and second coupler or attachment members are threaded onto each pair of corresponding first and second rebar members, respectively. The first and second attachment members are threaded on the inside to receive the first and second rebar members and are threaded on the outside to screw into a common or third member. Next, the third member, comprising a threaded sleeve, is positioned intermediate the first and second attachment members and then rotated such that the first and second attachment members screw thereinto, in a turnbuckle-like fashion. Thus, as the third member is rotated, the first and second attachment members, attached to the first and second rebar members, respectively, are drawn together into abutting relationship.
Such prior art connectors generally provide positive mechanical interconnection of the abutting complimentary rebar members. Such interconnection is completely rigid and does not accommodate relative longitudinal motion of the rebar members. Consequently, relative motion of the joined structural members, i.e., girders and/or columns, is likewise not facilitated.
As such, although contemporary reinforcing steel couplers or connectors are generally suitable for their intended purposes, they possess inherent deficiencies which detract from their overall effectiveness in building construction. It is therefore desirable to provide an alternative reinforcing steel coupler or connection which accommodates a degree of longitudinal motion of the abutting rebar members and consequently likewise accommodates a degree of relative movement of the joined structural members, i.e., columns and/or girders.